Much has been written in the past 20 years on a leader’s emotional quotient (EQ). We have the tools to give our leaders the edge, but do they really know how mastery can impact their company’s bottom-line?

Marketing has changed a lot in the past decade. The world has moved from the age of print into the age of digital, which includes the ever-changing universe of social media. Being a millennial myself, I have grown up surrounded by the virtual world and the incredible technological advancements of the past twenty years.

I believe Human Resource Departments that set long term Health and Welfare strategies are more successful at achieving important objectives like cost containment and employee engagement. When long term strategies are identified, HR teams understand what the goals of the department are, and what the plan is to get there.

I have been working with Private Equity (PE) firms on their insurance related needs for over a decade and continue to be amazed at the costly error that is repeated in the middle market sector. The mistake is allowing a newly acquired portfolio company (portco) to retain their current Health and Welfare (H&W) broker based on a “relationship” vs skill sets. In making this choice, opportunities to reduce the percentage of spend tied to human capital are often overlooked.

One of the most awesome experiences is when an entire company becomes engaged at the same time. Is this by luck, chance, or fate??? I believe not. The most engaged workforces I have known have gotten there by intent, or by strategically engaging their employees.

By way of background, my firm manages Association Programs (often times identified as an independent Private Exchange). Each Association Program consists of multiple satellites/hubs with sometimes, different needs at each. With the leadership from each satellite, we collaborate on the delivery of services that require consensus/consistency.

Let’s face it, when thinking about total rewards, base and incentive compensation is usually first on the list of priorities. Just as it should be. However, more and more progressive companies are seeing the benefits component of total rewards as a better differentiator in defining their employment value proposition. And, one allowing for many more design options than just compensation.

Here at Craford Benefits, one of the first objectives we are tasked with when working with a client is choosing the right plan type. Many factors are considered when determining this such as location, group size, financial budget, contributions, etc. We analyze all of these factors and then recommend a plan we believe best suits the client’s needs.

Across all departments, all companies, and all industries one common (and often dreaded) task is that of releasing a Request for Proposal (RFP). An RFP is simply the process of releasing a bid solicitation for a particular service to a range of selected vendors

Dating back 25 years it was common for employers to pay a large portion of both the employee and dependent cost of employee health and dental insurance. In many situations it was 100% of the cost for both employee and dependent. Back then there was generally just one plan of benefits offered. As HMO’s became more prominent it became more common to offer both HMO coverage and PPO coverage, many times through separate carriers. Generally, employers charged employees more for HMO coverage so that they would not impair the claims experience for their experience rated PPO coverage.

Change is difficult for most organizations but as we know it is necessary to survive in a constantly evolving marketplace. One of the most difficult shifts in culture currently faced by many organizations is how they manage their performance management process.

How do you define empathy? Most of us define it several different ways, but at its core, it is about having the capacity to understand or feel what another being is experiencing from within the other’s frame of reference.

One of the most popular trends within the Insurance Industry over the last few years has definitely been Wellness Programs. Every company feels they should have one yet when asked details about what a Wellness Program is, the answers can range from complete silence to multiple different ideas.

Let’s be honest, the vendor you choose to provide any services to your department and your employees is extremely important. But the vendor that insures your employees’ healthcare and the experience your employees have with it is crucial.

Have you ever wondered why bright executives with great ideas, products and services struggle to achieve their strategic goals? If you dive deeper into these situations, you will find that these same leaders have a great vision and a great strategy. But in today’s challenging business environment, that is not enough

Now that the window to submit 1095s for 2015 has closed, applicable large employers or “ALEs” can expect to receive subsidy notifications from the ACA Exchanges. A subsidy notification will be sent to employers who have employees that (1) purchased coverage on the Exchange and (2) are receiving premium subsidies for the coverage.

The Harvard Business Review recently identified outsourcing as one of the most important management ideas and practices of the past 75 years. However, making the decision to outsource is a complex initiative for any organization.